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FARMYARD PETS, 



THROUGH THE 
FARMYARD GATE 


RHYMES AND STORIES FOR LITTLE CHILDREN 
AT HOME AND IN KINDERGARTEN 


iX 

emilieToulsson 


Author of “Nursery Finger Plays,” and 
“In the Child’s World,” 


ILLUSTRATED BY L, J BRIDGMAN 


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a 3^^' 

JUl- 80)896 ^ 


BOSTON 

LOTHROP PUBLISHING COMPANY 



Copyright, 1896, 

BY 

Lothrop Publishing Company. 

All rights reserved. 


S. J. PARKHILLA. CO.. BOSTON. U.S.A 
PRINTERS 


PREFACE. 


“ The interest a young child gives 
To every animal that lives, 

Dear mother, is an open door 

Through which unbounded good may pour. 

Filling his mind with knowledge manifold, 

Of Nature’s wondrous laws, so new, so old.” 

Motto from Froebel's Mother Play. 

The love of animals is one of the most universal traits of childhood. 
Through faith in this trait and with the hope of fostering it, these simple 
stories are offered to the children. While the book is not distinctively 
a kindergarten book, some of its rhymes will be found useful in con- 
nection with the talks upon animals given in the kindergarten, and with 
the Froebel and other plays which picture the child’s relation to nature. 

Many of the stories are true — Barney and Lummux and Fritz and 
Midget and Lady Jane being personal friends of mine. For this 
intimate acquaintance my thanks are due to the five dear little com- 
rades to whom the pets belonged and who led me not only through 
the farmyard gate, but to a greater comprehension of the friendship and 
sympathy that can exist between children and animals. 

Emilie Poulsson. 


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CONTENTS. 


T. 

FARMYARD FOLK. 

11 . 

THE LONELY BOSSY. 

III. 

THE PET LAMB— SNOWBALL. 

IV. 

THE PET LAMB — LUMMUX, 

Y. 

THE THREE GOATS. 

VI. 

A PUPPY’S PROBLEMS. 

VII. 

AN OBLIGING DONKEY. 

VIII. 

BABY GRAYWING’S FRIGHT. 

IX. 

THE WISE PIGEONS. 

X. 

DOBBIN AND THE SPARROW. ^ i 

XI. 

THE TENTH EGG. 

XII. 

CHICKENS IN TROUBLE.^ '' 

XIII. 

THE WATCHFUL MOTHER. 

XIV. 

FRITZ AND MIDGET. 

XV. 

WHERE COLTIE WENT. 

XVI. 

ONE OF BARNEY’S JOKES. 

XVII. 

TROTTINO. {^Translated by Laura E» Poulsson^ 

XVIII. 

PUSSY WHITE’S ANSWER. 

XIX. 

JUDGING BY APPEARANCES. 

XX. 

THE PIGEON AND THE OWL. 

XXI. 

MINNA’S THANKSGIVING. 

XXII. 

THE LOW-MINDED CAT. 

XXIII. 

THE 3IEADOW PRINCESS. 

XXIV. 

A WISE FELLOW. 

XXV. 

THE BIRDS’ CHRISTMAS SHEAF. 





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THROUGH THE FARMYARD GATE 


FARMYARD FOLK 



The farmyard gate is fastened, 
For that’s the farmer’s way, 

Lest any of his creatures 
Outside the yard should 
stray. 

The farmyard gate is fastened. 
But I will swing it wide 

For all you little children 
Who wish to go inside. 

Come, little lads and lassies. 
And enter with me now. 

And I will introduce you 
To Lady Jane, the cow. 

There! Hasn’t she politeness ? 
That very long-drawn 

“ M 00-0-0 ” 

Means “ I am glad to meet you. 
And pray how do you do?” 

And here is faithful Dobbin, 
The best of horses he. 

He seldom speaks to strangers. 
But nods his head, you see. 


FARMYARD FOLK. 


And dog-ories — Fritz and Midget — 

oo o 

Who bark their joy aloud; 

While high upon the dovecote 
The pretty pigeons crowd. 

That rolly-poly fellow, 

With long ears stretching 
high, 

Is Barney dear, the donkey; 

We must not pass him by. 

For he’s the dearest donkey 
That ever stood stock-still. 

Or ran away, or smashed a cart. 

To show his tricksy will. 

And here is Mistress Fleecy — 

The woolly-backed mamma. 

Who says “Good-day!” politely. 

Though you hear only 
“ Ba-a!” 

And pigs! and hens and chick- 
ens! 

And geese and ducks! dear! dear! 
Such clucking, quacking, grunting, 
N ow did you ever hear ? 



THE LONELY BOSSY. 


“ My Bossy is a beauty,” 
Thought Lady Jane with 
pride, 

As day by day it nestled 
And gamboled at her side. 

But Lady Jane and Bossy 
A sudden sorrow find ; 

For cows must go to pasture. 
And leave their calves be- 
hind. 

So, far away from Bossy, 
Through farmyard and 
through lane. 

Among the herd goes sadly 
The mother. Lady Jane, 

While, in the barn, poor 
Bossy 

Forlorn and lonely lies. 


And calls her absent mother 
With piteous, frightened 
cries. 

Along the hillside pasture. 
The while the cattle graze. 

They lift their heads to listen ; 
They watch in dumb amaze. 

For Lady Jane goes running 
Adown the hill like mad ; 

“It is my baby crying ! ” 

The only thought she 
had. 

She leaps the rail, and plunges 
As madly down the lane ; 

The big barn door is open 
And Bossy calls again. 

“ My darling little Bossy, 

I have come back to you ; 


THE LONELY BOSSY. 


And now I’ll stay beside 
you, 

Don’t be afraid; Moo-oo ! ” 

That evening, when the farmer 

Went whistling down the 
lane. 

And drove the cattle home- 
ward. 

He saw no Lady Jane. 


But when to do the milking, 
Into the barn he went, 
There Lady Jane and Bossy 
Were standing quite content. 



LADY JANE GOES AWAY FROM BOSSY. 


THE PET EAMB-SNOWBALE. 


I will sing you a song of a 
snowball, 

Though neither a ball nor 
of snow ; 

Mrs. Fleecy, the sheep, was 
its mother — 

Ah ! now you have guessed 
it, I know. 

Yes, this Snowball was just a 
wee lambkin. 

The children’s own pet and 
delight. 

With her meek little face and 
her bleating 

And wool all so crinkled 
and white. 

Far too pretty, they thought, 
for the farmyard. 

So up to the house Lamb- 
kin came ; 


And the children who helped 
in her washing 

Chose “Snowball” at once for 
her name. 

Then they decked her with 
ribbons the gayest ; 
They gave her a silvery 
bell. 

And she followed them upstairs 
and downstairs, 

To playroom and school- 
room as well. 

And they showed her the 
schoolroom eraser, 
Their baskets of gay worsted 
full. 

Their thick dresses and jackets, 
their blankets, 

“ See, Snowball, they’re all 
made of wool.” 


THE PET LAMB — SNOWBALL. 


And the children were never 
too tired 



SNOWBALL HAS A SILVERY BELL. 



THE PET LAMB— LUMMUX. 


Have you heard about Snow- 
ball, the darling, 

The pretty white lambkin so 
small. 

Who was taken to live with 
the children, 


The pet among pets with them 
all? 

Alas ! As the time passed, 
poor Snowball 

Could not all her baby charms 
keep ; 


THE PET LAMB — LUMMUX. 


For as little folks grow to be 
big ones, 

So lambkins will grow to be 
sheep. 

Soon the housemaids were 
scolding at hoofmarks 

That scratched all the smooth 
polished floors ; 

And the governess said, “ Such 
a creature 

Is much better off out of doors.” 

Next mamma laughed at Snow- 
ball, declaring 

That “ Lummux ” should now 
be her name, 

So clumsy was she, and so 
heavy ; 

d he children still loved her 
the same. 

Yet the dear little playmate 
had vanished. 

For “Lummux” they never 
could lug 

Everywhere that they went : — 
so, one morning. 

With kisses and many a hug. 


They at last led their over- 
grown darling 

Out into the field with the rest. 



And — you might not believe 
it — but Lummux 
Liked this kind of life much 
the best ! 



THE THREE GOATS. 


Now you shall hear! 

There was once a Boy who 
had three Goats. All day they 
leaped and pranced and skipped 
and climbed up on the rocky 
hill, but at night the Boy 
drove them home. One night, 
when he went to meet them, the 
frisky things leaped into a tur- 
nip field and he could not get 
them out. Then the Boy sat 
down on the hillside and cried. 

“ A-S he sat there a Hare 
came along. ‘ Why do you 
cry ? ’ asked the H are. 

“T cry because I can’t get 


the Goats out of the field,’ 
answered the Boy. 

“‘/’// do it,’ said the Hare. 
So he tried, but the Goats 
would not come. Then the 
H are, too, sat down and cried. 
“Along came a Fox. 

‘“Why do you cry?’ asked 
the Fox. 

“ ‘ I am crying because the 
Boy cries,’ said the Hare; ‘ and 
the Boy is crying because he 
cannot get the Goats out of 
the turnip field.’ 

“‘/’// do it,’ said the Fox. 

“ So the Fox tried, but the 


THE THREE GOATS. 


Goats would not come. Then 
the Fox also sat down and cried. 

“ Soon after, a Wolf came 
along. ‘ Why do you cry ? ’ 
asked the W olf. ‘ I am crying 
because the Hare cries,’ said 
the Fox; ‘ and the Hare cries 
because the Boy cries ; and 
the Boy cries because he can’t 
get the Goats out of the turnip 
field.’ 'I'll do it!’ said the 
Wolf. He tried; but the 
Goats would not leave the field. 


So he sat down beside the 
others and began to cry too. 

“ After a little, a Bee flew 
over the hill and saw them all 
sitting there crying. ‘Why do 
you cry?’ said the Bee to the 


Wolf. ‘I am crying because 
the Fox cries; and the Fox 
cries because the Hare cries ; 
and the Hare cries because the 
Boy cries ; and the Boy cries 
because he can’t get the Goats 
out of the turnip field.’ 

"'I'll do it!’ said the Bee. 

“Then the big Animals and 
the Boy all stopped crying a 
moment to laugh at the tiny 
Bee. He do it, indeed, when 
they could not! But the tiny 


Bee flew away into the turnip 
field and lit upon one of the 
Goats and said, 4. 

“ ‘ Buz-z-z-z-z ! ’ 

“ And oiit ran the Goats, 
every one!” 

Translated from Norwegian, 



A PUPPY’S PROBLEM. 


When Midget was a puppy, 

And to the farm was brought, 

She found that there were many things 
A puppy must be taught. 

Her mother oft had told her 
The first thing to be known 
Was how to gnaw and bite, and thus 
Enjoy a toothsome bone. 





So Midget practiced biting 
On everything around. 

But that was not approved at all. 
To her surprise, she found. 


The farmer spoke severely 
Till Midget shook with fright; 

The children shouted, “No, no, no!” 
“ Bad Midget ! Mustn’t bite! ” 



A PUPPY’S PROBLEM. 


’Twas just the same with barking; 

At first they all said “ Hark! ” 
Whenever Midget tried her voice ; 
“Good puppy! that’s it! Bark!” 




But then, as soon as Midget 
Could sound a sharp “ Bow-wow ! ” 
Alas ! the talk was changed to “ Hush 
Such noise we can’t allow.” 


Now wasn’t that a puzzle ? 

It seemed a problem dark, 

That it was right and wrong to bite, 
And right and wrong to bark. 

A puppy’s hardest lesson 
Is when to bark and bite ; 

But Midget learned it, and became 
A comfort and delight. 


midget’s funny swing. 


AN OBLIGING DONKEY. 



The little puppy, Midget, 
Lived near the donkey’s stall. 


And often for a social play. 
To Barney’s side would crawl. 


AN OBLIGING DONKEY. 


And when the frisky Barney 
Out in the field was tied, 

The little Midget, full of joy. 
Would caper at his side. 

One day as Barney stood there, 
H is tail wagged to and fro. 

As if it were a pendulum. 

And Midget watched it go. 
Till into her small noddle 
There popped an antic thought. 
And with a sudden upward 
leap. 

The swinging tail she caught. 

The donkey’s heart was kindly. 
The donkey’s tail was tough; 

“ You want to swing ? Well, 
swinof awav. 

Until you’ve had enough.” 


So Barney’s tall wagged faster. 
And still did Midget cling. 



BARNEY AND MIDGET. 


Now tell me if you ever 
heard 

Of such a funny thing ? 


Oh ! Barney’s full of mischief. 

But we must bear in mind 

(As weir as all his tricks and pranks), 

This little deed so kind. 


BABY GRAYWING’S FRIGHT. 


Oh ! you should see the dove- 
cote 

That stands at Melrose 
F arm. 

High on a pole they placed it, 
To keep the birds from 
harm. 

Two pairs of pigeons lived 
there, 

Each with a home supplied; 

. For two rooms were within it. 
With doorways side by side. 

The Gray wings had two babies. 
The Pigeon-Whites had 
two ; 

And all the place re-echoed 
To their sweet note ; “ Coo, 
coo ! ” 

One day the Gray wing parents 
Flew off to get some food. 


And in the sunny doorway 
Their baby pigeons stood. 

And oh ! the pity, pity ! 

Almost too sad to tell ! 
Down, down from out the 
dovecote 

One baby pigeon fell. 

But joy! Below the dovecote 
There chanced to be some 
hay ; 

So, bruised and trembling only. 
The frightened birdie lay. 

But poor wee Baby Graywing! 

Too young he was to fly; 

H Is home — how could he 
reach it. 

Up In that dovecote high ? 

Just then the kindly farmer 
Saw Baby Gray wing there. 


BABY GRAYWING’S FRIGHT. 



“Well, well !” said he, “poor 
birdie. 

You must have had a scare.” 

H is longest ladder bringing. 
Up, up he climbed in haste; 
And back into the dovecote 
The Baby Gray wing placed. 

And when the Graywing 
parents 


Their baby’s mishap knew. 
They thanked the good old 
farmer 

With many a glad “ Coo, 
coo ! ” 



MR. AND MRS. PIGEON-WHITE GO TO THE BRUSH HEAP. 


THE WISE PIGEONS. 


Next to the Graywings, as you 
know, 

Lived other pigeons, white as 
snow. 

They, like the Gray wing par- 
ents, had 

Two baby birds to make them 
glad. 

Mr. and Mrs. Pigeon-White 

Saw Baby Graywing’s fall in 
fright — 

Feared that their darlings 
might fall, too ; 

What could the anxious par- 
ents do ? 


“ Love always will find out a 
way.” 

This the two pigeons proved 
that day. 

“ I know of something we can 
do,” 

Said the fond mother ; “ Coo- 
coo-coo ! 

“ Come to the brush heap ; 
there we’ll find 

Thin little twigs — just the 
nicest kind ! 

Many we’ll need in the dove- 
cote high. 

Oh! let us hasten; fly, oh! fly.” 


THE WISE PIGEONS. 


Down to the ground flew the 
busy pair, 

Peering and searching every- 
where. 

Up many times did they 
quickly soar, 

Carrying twigs to the dovecote 
door. 

What the wise birds had 
planned to fix 

Soon proved to be a fence of 
sticks. 

Right in the dovecote doorway 
wide. 

Keeping their babies safe in- 
side. 


Mr. and Mrs. Pigeon-White 
Looked at the fence with much 
delight. 



Over it peeped the birdies 
small ; 

No danger now that they 
should fall ! 



OVER IT PEEPED THE BIRDIES SMALL. 



IN THE STALL. 


DOBBIN AND THE SPARROW. 


Now you shall hear how 
kind two friends were to each 
other, though one was big and 
the other was little. 

Dobbin the farm horse had 
been working hard all day, but 
now he was standing in his 
stall resting and eating and 
thinking of going to sleep. 

Chippie the sparrow had 


been working hard all day, too, 
in her fashion ; but she was 
still flying about in search of 
food, not knowing where she 
should find her supper, when 
it occurred to her to go into 
the barn, and in a trice there 
she was, perched on the edge 
of Dobbin’s manger. 

“Chee! chee! How hungry 


DOBBIN AND THE SPARROW. 


I am ! ” chirped the wee thing. 
“ Your manger is so full, Dob- 
bin dear, won’t you let me 
have some of your oats ? Such 
a little will do for me! Just 
one little grain or two; and 
there will be plenty left for 
you — more than you can eat.” 
And the sparrow hovered over 
the tempting oats, looking up 
coaxingly at the big horse. 

“ Take all you wish, little 
bird,” said Dobbin kindly. 
“We may both feast, and there 
will still be some left.” 

Then the two friends ate 
and ate of the delicious oats 
until both were satisfied. 

By and by the summer came. 
Even in the dim stable it was 
very hot, and oh ! how trouble- 
some the flies were. Poor 


Dobbin had no rest from their 
stinging and biting. But one 
day he heard a whirr of wings, 
and the next moment his little 
friend Sparrow perched on the 
edofe of his mangrer. 

“ I do not come begging 
this time,” she chirped. “ Chee ! 
chee! No, indeed. I can 
get my own living in the sum- 
mer time. But now I will 
show what I can do for you.” 

Then you should have seen 
how the sparrow darted about 
and how she snapped at the 
flies. And every day through 
the whole summer the sparrow 
came and caught the torment- 
ing flies so that they could not 
hurt and tease Dobbin any 
more. 

From the Norwegian. 



V 


THE TENTH EGG. 


Our Brownie came into the 
dooryard one day, 

With many a noisy “ cluck, 
cluck ! 

All these are my chickens, yes, 
all this fine brood — 

I think I’ve had very good 
luck.” 

Our Brownie was praised and 
her brood much admired. 
But mother said, “ Yes, 
Brownie mine. 

But surely I put ten white 
eggs in your nest. 

And chickens you have only 
nine.” 

To the nest in the barn Bob 
and Margery ran 
And found the one egg left 
alone. 


Bob snatched it in haste — 
and it dropped to the 
ground — 

And hit on the edge of a 
stone ! 

“ Oh ! well, it ’s no matter,” 
said Bob, looking down, 

“ That egg was of no use to 
keep ” — 

When hark ! What was that ? 

From the broken egg came 

The softest and faintest “ Peep, 
peep ! ” 

And there was a dear, downy 
chicken’s small head. 

From that very shell poking 
out. 

As much as to say, “ Since 
you’ve opened my door 

I think I’ll be looking about!” 



I50B AND MARGERY. 




CHICKENS IN TROUBLE. 



O mother, mother ! I’m so 
cold ! ” 

One little chicken grumbled. 

And, mother!” cried a second 
chick, 

“Against a stone I’ve stum- 
bled.” 

And oh ! I am so sleepy 
now,” 

Another chick was moan- 
ing; 


While chicken fourth, of tired 
wings. 

Kept up a constant groaning. 

“ And, mother ! I have such 
a pain ! ” 

Peeped out the chicken 
baby ; 

“ That yellow meal did taste 
so good. 

I’ve eaten too much, may be.” 


And there’s a black, black 
cloud up there,” 

Cried all in fear and wonder; 



CHICKENS IN TROUBLE. 



“ O mother dear, do spread 
your wings 

And let us all creep under.” 


“ There, there, my little dears, 
come here; 

Your cries are quite distress- 
ing,” 

The mother called, and spread 
her wings 

For comfort and caressing. 

And soon beneath her feathers 
warm, 

The little chicks were hud- 
dled; 


“ I know what ailed you all,” 
she said, 

“You wanted to be cuddled.” 

And as they nestled cosily 

And hushed their weak com- 
plaining. 

She told them that the black, 
black cloud 

Was quite too small for 
raining. 



And one by one they all were 
soothed. 

And out again went straying, 
Until five happy little chicks 
Were in the farmyard play- 


ing. 


From the Norwegian, 



THE WATCHFUL MOTHER. 


Oh ! such a brood has Mother 
Hen 

Of downy, chirping things, 
You wouldn’t think so many 
chicks 


Could get beneath her 
wings — 

Or that one mother ever could 
Take care of such a lively 
brood. 


THE WATCHFUL MOTHER. 


The Mother Hen within the 
coop, 

Stays quietly at home — 

While in the farmyard round 
about 

The chickens freely roam. 

But who is this comes flying 
near, 

And fills the old hen’s heart 
with fear ? 

’Tis Mr. Hawk! Oh! swift 
he comes. 

And near and nearer flies ; 

While “ cluck, cluck,” to her 
little chicks 

The watchful mother cries. 

“ Peep, peep,” the baby chick- 
ens all 

Run quickly at their mother’s 
call. 


Old Mr. Hawk up in the 
air 

No longer circles round ; 
For not a single little chick 
To pounce upon, is found. 
All safely hid the chickens 
rest 

Within the coop ’neath moth- 
er’s breast. 

But by and by when Mr. 
Hawk 

H as flown far, far away. 
From out the coop with happy 
chirps 

The chickens gladly stray ; 
And guarding them from every 

ill 

Their loving mother watches 
still. 



FRITZ AND MIDGET. 


The dogs of the farmyard, 
Named Midget and Fritz, 

Were dogs of good training 
And dogs of good wits. 

Of course they liked frolics. 
And romping and fun ; 

But yet, just as gayly. 

Their duties were done. 

Away from the garden 
They chased all the hens. 

And barked when the piggies 
Got out of their pens. 

And when from the pasture 
The flock of sheep ran, 

’Twas Midget and Fritz who 
Called farmer and man. 

And who but these doggies 
Would follow all day 


On guard while the children 
Were busy at play ? 

Now Fritz was a large dog. 
And seemed much inclined 

To be to small Midget 
Most courteous and kind. 

If Fritz to the children 
Went whining with thirst, 

No matter — he always 
Let Midget drink first. 

The dish of cold water 

Might near him be placed, 

But not before Midget 
Would he take a taste. 

This bit of politeness 
My dog story ends ; 

Long live Fritz and Midget, 
The loving dog friends. 



FRITZ LETS MIDGET DRINK FIRST. 




WHERE COLTIE WENT. 


The farmer had a little colt 
Which played the whole 
day long, 

Until at last he grew so big, 
And tall, and stout, and 
strong. 

The farmer, looking at him, 
said : 



HE PLAYED THE WHOLE DAY LONG. 


“Your playtime soon must 
end. 

But first we need to go to town 
And see ‘ the horses’ friend.’ ” 
They went into the queerest 
place 

The colt had ever seen. 


“ K— ling ! ” “ K-lang ! ” Oh ! 
such a noise ! 

What could the clatter mean ? 

And bright and red the sparks 
flew up. 

At every ringing sound ; 

And here, a hot fire glowed ; 
and there 

Were horses standing round. 

The little coltie wondered 
much 

As Master led him in ; 

And almost felt afraid — to 
hear 

The hammering and din ; 

But Master kept close by his 
side 

And kindly petting gave; 

So little coltie stood quite still, 

Determined to be brave. 

Stood still except when told to 


move ; 


WHERE COLTIE WENT. 



THE BLACKSMITH MAKES COLTIE’s SHOES. 


Then, quickly as he heard 

H is master or the strange man 
speak, 

He minded every word. 

The man looked at the coltie’s 
hoofs. 

Then “ kling ! ” the hammers 
beat. 

And soon some heavy iron 
things 

Were fa"*’ to coltie’s feet. 

And as the coltie u ^tted home 


Those heavy things would 
strike. 

Click ! click-clack ! ” on the 
road; but this 
H e soon began to like. 

Click! click-clack!” through 
the farmyard gate 
That “click-clack! ” told the 
news. 

The coltie to the blacksmith 
went. 


The coltie has on shoes !” 


ONE OF BARNEY’S JOKES. 


“ The children took me to the 
woods,” 

Said long - eared Barney 
Gray. 



Was cut and placed within 
The sleigh; and then, he-haw ! 
I planned 

For my fun to begin. 

I waited till the 
children all 
On tree and seat 
were piled. 
They called me 
‘ dear old pa- 
tient thing,’ 
And said I 
looked ‘so 
mild.’ 

I knew a snowdrift 
high and soft 


COMING BACK WITH THE CHRISTMAS TREE. WHcrC I sHoulcl HeVC 


They said, ‘We’ll bring the 
Christmas-tree 
In Barney’s little sleigh.’ 
Big Brother helped, and soon 
the tree 


my fun. 

So jogged along and reached 
the place ; 

Turn ! jump ! the deed was 
done ! 






ONE OF BARNEY’S JOKES. 


The sleigh was tipped and out 
they went, 

The tree and children four, 
Just where the snow was soft 
and deep ; 

Then down the road I tore. 

“ I pranced and galloped, 
bounded, leaped. 

Along the homeward track. 
Then at the farm I meekly 
stopped 

And let them lead me back 
To where the children laugh- 
ing stood. 

There in the snowy road. 
Then I, at steady, jogging 
pace 

Brought safely home my 
load.” 

“You naughty Barney,” Dob- 
bin said, 

“ Some trick you always 
play. 

I guess no lumps of sugar 
sweet 


W ere given you to-day ! ” 
“No sugar? Yes, indeed, I 
had. 

Three lumps, as I’m alive! 
The darlings said I had been 
good 

In some parts of the drive!” 



BARNEY HAS THREE LUMPS OF SUGAR. 


“ H e-haw ! ” laughed Barney, 
“ they like jokes 
As I well understand. 
They’d rather have me than 
the best 

Of donkeys in the land ; 
They would not like to have 
me go 

Always one steady way ; 
‘Variety’s the spice of life,”’ 
Said long-eared Barney Gray. 



TROTTING. " 


HIS FAULTS. 


There was once a mother- 
rabbit who had two little rab- 
bit children. The older one 
was called Lapino and the 
other T rottino. 

Lapino was a most lovable 
little rabbit. He was not only 
pretty, but good, also. Kind, 
obedient, good-humored, will- 
ing to give up to his little 
brother, and always ready to 


help his mother, Lapino was a 
model for all little rabbits. 

His mamma would have 
been the happiest of rabbit- 
mothers if Trottino had been 
like his brother. But T rottino, 
though he was a very good lit- 
tle rabbit in many ways, had 
great faults. 

He was disobedient, Trot- 
tino was; not from naughti- 


TROTTING. 


ness, but because he did not 
try to think. When he 
wanted to do something which 



he thought would be “ good 
fun,” he forgot all about his 
mother’s wishes. If he had 
been more thoughtful he would 
have heard a voice, the voice 
of his little rabbit-conscience, 
saying to him, “ Don’t do that, 
Trottino! It is naughty!” 
But alas! he did not think of 
these things. 

Another fault of Trottino’s 
was greediness. He had a 
kind heart and would some- 


times go without a beautiful 
carrot, or a very tender cab- 
bage leaf, in order that he 
might give it to some poor lit- 
tle rabbit who had nothing to 
eat. But he was too fond of 
dainty food, and his mamma 
often tried to make him 
ashamed of it and sorry for it. 



ASKING PARDON. 


At such times he would 
throw himself on her neck 


TROTTING. 


and ask her pardon, and say 
to her, “I won’t do so any 
more!” But he would do the 
same thing the very next time. 

He d’d not seem to know 


that a rabbit of honor ought to 
think well before giving his 
word, and that when his word 
was once given he ought to 
hold to it. 



MOTHER RABBIT GOES TO MARKET. 


Lapino and Trottino began 
to be large enough to eat alone, 
but they did not yet know much 
about plants, and so their 
mother had told them not to 
eat anything unless she gave it 
to them. 

When the weather was fine 
she took her children out forn 
walk in a beautiful field where 
there were all sorts of plants, 
and she pointed out to them 
which were good; but the rab- 
bits were forbidden to go out 
into the field alone. 

One morning Mother Rab- 
bit saw that her cupboard was 
empty. She said to Lapino, 
“ My little Lapino, I must go 
to the town. Hurry, my child ! 
Get up, and make your bed and 
your little brother’s, and have 
the room all clean and tidy 


when I get home. I will come 
back as soon as I can, and take 
you out for a nice walk in the 
sun. You, Trottino, be good, 
and mind your brother.” 

“ Yes, mamma,” replied the 
two children ; and the mother 



GOING to MARKET. 


rabbit, taking her big basket, 
hurried away. 

Lapino arose. With his 
little paws he shook up the 
straw on which he had slept, 
and arranged it so that it had 
quite the air of a well-made 


MOTHER RABBIT GOES TO MARKET 


bed. Afterwards he carefully 
put the room in order. 

Trottino did not usually 
trouble himself about such 
work, so Lapino was astonished 
to see him give all this help, 
and praised him for being kind 
and working well. 

But if Trottino helped about 



the house it was not for the 
sake of gaining compliments ; 
he had another idea. When all 
the work was done he sat down 
in the open doorway of the 
house. 

“ Oh ! do come and see, 
Lapino, how fine the weather 
is ! ” cried he to his brother. 


“Very fine,” answered La- 
pino ; “ when mamma comes 
home, and after she has taken 
a little rest, I shall be glad to 
go out of doors.” 

“ Poor mamma ! It is true 
that she will be very tired. She 
will have to rest a long while, 
and we shall have scarcely any 
time for our walk ! What if it 
should rain ? ” 

“ That would be very pro- 
voking ; but why do you think 
it will rain ? ” 

“ Because — because — I 
have heard Mr. Grisonnet, who 
is a very wise rabbit, say that 
when it is clear in the morning 
it often rains before night. It 
seems to me that there are 
clouds already! Come and 
see ! ” 

Trottino slipped outside and 
went several steps away. La- 
pino followed him, but only as 
far as the door. 


MOTHER RABBIT GOES TO MARKET. 
“ I do not see any clouds,’ 


said he. “ But where are you 
going, Trottino? Come back 
quickly! You know very well 
that we are not large enough 
to go out alone ! ” 

“ Oh ! not last week, per- 
haps ; but we have grown since 
then ! My legs are stiff from 
staying in the house so long. 
I need to run.” 


“ Oh, well ! Run a little 
before the door, but do not go 
far.” 

“ I do not know how to play 
all alone! I get tired of it ! 
Dear Lapino, come ; play with 
me. I will be good. I will 
not run away at all. If you 
knew how I long to play leap- 
frog ! ” 


‘"come, PLAY WITH ME , I WILL BE GOOD.-G) 


LAPINO AND TROTTING STRAY AWAY. 


“Well, I’ll come, then; but 
we must stay near the house,” 
said Lapino. 

So he went and played leap- 
frog ; and he was thinking so 



much of taking care of his lit- 
tle brother and keeping close 
to him, that he did not see how 
Trottino was gradually leading 
him farther and farther from 
home. 


He stopped the game sud- 
denly, however, because he 
found himself near a flight of 
steps which looked strange to 
him. 

“ Where have you brought 
me, Trottino?” said he, in an 
anxious tone. “ We must go 
back home. What will mam- 
ma say if she does not find us 
there when she returns? ” 
“Bah! She won’t say any- 
thing, because we will be there. 
Don’t you see where our door 
is? It isn’t far. We have 
still time to play; it isn’t long 
since mamma went away. Oh! 
What beautiful lettuce ! Sure- 
ly that must be tender ! ” 
There was, indeed, at the 
foot of the flight of steps, a 
basket full of lettuce. The 
woman who owned it had gone 


LAPINO AND TROTTING STRAY AWAY. 


into the house to sell vegeta- 
bles to the cook, and she had 
left her largest basket at the 
door while she went in. T rot- 
tino, greedy rascal, was nibbling 
as fast as he could at the best 
head of lettuce in her basket. 

“ Fie, Trottino! What are 
you doing there?” cried his 
brother. ‘-If mamma should 
see you she would say that you 
were stealing, and that thieves 
deserved to go to prison be- 
tween two policemen! ” 

“ What crisp lettuce ! ” re- 
plied Trottino. “Mamma 
never brings us anything but 
the outside leaves ; and the 
heart is the best part ! ” 

As Trottino said this he re- 
ceived a kick which sent him 
rolling over toward his brother, 
while an angry voice called out: 

“Wicked rabbit! A thief 
of a rabbit! Good only to be 
made into a stew!” 


The woman who owned the 
vegetables had come out of the 
house and had seen him eating 
her lettuce. Of course she did 
not like that at all ; and, as she 
had wooden shoes on, her kick 
pained Trottino very much, so 
that he ran away, groaning. 



Lapino had not been kicked, 
but he was greatly frightened. 
The two children had now only 
one idea — to flee from the 
woman with the wooden shoes; 
and so in their terror they ran 
farther and farther still from 
home. 

The poor little things ran so 
fast they were quite out of 
breath; but they did not dare 


LAPINO AND TROTTING STRAY AWAY. 


stop an instant to rest. For 
whenever they looked back, as 
they did now and then, they 
saw the old woman, with the 
dreadful wooden shoe still 
thrust out. 

They could hear her shout- 
ing, again and again, “Wicked 
rabbit ! A thief of a rabbit ! 
Good only to be made into a 
stew ! ” H ow angry she was ! 


How gladly would she have 
given Trottino another kick! 

By and by her cry grew 
faint ; then it ceased alto- 
gether. They turned a corner 
in the lane, and came to a wide 
green meadow. Their legs 
ached with running so fast and 
so far ; and they had scarcely 
one bit of breath left. 


c 


FLEEING FROM THE WOMAN WITH WOODEN 6HOE5- 




TROTTING EATS THE POISONOUS 

HEMLOCK. 


Lapino stopped first. 
“ Where is our house now ? ” 
cried he, trembling. 

“ I don’t know. Oh how 
she hurt me ! that ugly 
woman ! ” 

“See, Trottino; let us try 
to find our house again. 
Mamma will be so anxious ! 
I believe it is on this side. 
You remember that big tree, 
don’t you ? ” 

“ Yes! yes! Our house is 
right near the tree. We will 


be there very quickly ; let me 
rest a little. Mamma has 
never brought us here.” 

“ It is not prettier than our 
meadow, and there are plants 
growing here that we do not 
know.” 

“You — you do not know 
them ; but I know them very 
well. Look ! There is some 
wild thyme ! That’s some- 
thing very delicious ! ” 

“ Yes, I believe it really is 
wild thyme ; but mamma has 


TROTTING EATS THE POISONOUS HEMLOCK. 


forbidden us to eat plants 
which she has not given us 
herself. You have had a 
good breakfast, Trottino. You 
do not need that wild thyme.” 

“ I have breakfasted ; but I 
have taken exercise since, so 
that I am now hungry again. 
Aren’t you hungry, too ? ” 

“ Yes, I am hungry; but we 
must not disobey mamma. 
Let us go home quickly. Per- 
haps she has come back again, 
and then she will give us 
something to eat.” 

“ Pretty soon. My paws 
are trembling. I have been 
so frightened ! I shall have 
to eat a morsel to gain a little 
strength ; ” and T rottino, go- 
ing into the grass still wet 
with dew, began to nibble the 
wild thyme. 

Lapino shook his long ears 
with a troubled air. He would 
have liked to go back home 


and leave Trottino alone; but 
he stayed, thinking he could 
perhaps keep the giddy little 
fellow from doing more fool- 
ish and naughty things. He 
called to his brother every 
now and then, but Trottino 
was eating as fast as he could 
and would not stop. 

Suddenly, however, he cried 
out : “ Oh ! Lapino ! What 

beautiful parsley ! I never 
saw any so large! ” 

“Are you quite sure that it 
is parsley ? Parsley is not so 
tall.” 

“It is because this is unusu- 
ally fine and good! Taste a 
little and you will see.” 

“ I don’t want to. It is 
wrong for you to eat it. 
Come, let’s go.” 

“ When I have had enough 
parsley. It is delicious ! ” 
“Oh! Trottino! If mamma 
knew ! ” 


TROTTING EATS THE POISONOUS HEMLOCK. 


“O, well! She won’t know. 
At least, unless you are going 
to tell her, you horrid old tell- 
tale ! ” 


“You know very well that I 
am not a tell-tale. But /it is 
naughty to disobey. Do jcome, 
little brother.” 




THE RETURN HOME. 


Lapino looked so sad that 
Trottino was touched. “Very 
well,” said he, “ let’s go home. 
Besides, I can’t eat any more. 
What a pity ! It was so good 
— that wild thyme — and that 
parsley ! ” 

Lapino thought to himself 
that it was a very naughty 
thing to be greedy. Happily, 
Trottino was still young; 
there was hope that he might 
improve. 


They had scarcely reached 
home when Mother Rabbit 
arrived. Lapino,who stood at 
the doorway, saw her coming. 

“ There is mamma ! ” he 
cried. “ There is mamma, 
T rottino ! Are you going to 
meet her ? ” 

“ I am tired. I am resting,” 
replied Trottino in a weak 
voice. 

“ Oh ! how you look ! Are 
you sick, poor little fellow?” 


THE RETURN HOME. 


“ Why, no, indeed ! A per- 
son can be tired without being 
sick, can’t he ? Don’t tell 
mamma that I am sick, above 
all ! ” 

Lapino said nothing, but 
went to meet Mother Rabbit, 
who kissed him and asked if 
he had been good. 

“Very good, mamma,” re- 
plied Lapino. 

The mother rabbit also 
asked T rottino ; who answered, 
but without looking at her, 
that he also had been very 
good. Then he rolled himself 
up in a corner while Lapino 
helped Mother Rabbit take 
the provisions out of her 
basket. 

Soon Mother Rabbit had a 
nice dinner ready. Lapino 
ate with a fine appetite. Trot- 
tino tried to eat, too, but he 
could not. He felt sick. His 
stomach ached and his head 


was dizzy. At length he 
could bear the pain no longer. 
He threw himself on the 
ground and rolled about, utter- 
ing pitiful cries. 

“ What is the matter, my 
dear little Trottino? What 
is the matter, my dear child ? ” 
cried the good rabbit mother, 
running to him. 

“Oh! dear, dear ! ” groaned 
Trottino. “ I have a pain 
here — and here! It is like 
some fierce animal biting me ^ 
Oh ! oh ! oh ! ” 



“What has happened to 
you ? What have you done 
while I was gone ? Have you 
eaten something poisonous ? 


THE RETURN HOME. 


Lapino, tell me, what is the 
matter ? ” 

Lapino turned away his 
face. He remembered that 
his brother had called him a 
“ horrid tell-tale,” and he did 
not want to say anything. 

“ But there isn’t anything 
poisonous around here,” con- 
tinued Mother Rabbit. “Did 


you go out ? I distinctly for- 
bade that ! ” 

Both the rabbits lowered 
their ears with a confused air. 

“ You did go out? What 
else did you do ? Did you 
eat anything in the meadow ? ” 

Lapino still hesitated to 
speak. 




TROTTING CONFESSES. 


“Not Laplno, mamma! 
He did not!” said Trottino, 
driven by remorse and trying 
to* be brave. 

“ You only, then ? What 
have you eaten ? Tell me 
quickly, my poor little one. I 
must know in order to take 
care of you and cure you.” 

When she said this Trot- 
tino redoubled his groans. It 
was hard to confess, but he 
gasped out in broken sentences 
while the tears dropped from 
his eyes : 


“ We went — in a meadow. 
I ate — some wild thyme. 
Lapino didn’t want me to. 
Oh ! what a pain I have ! 
Mamma, do help me! Do!” 

“ My poor little fellow ! 
Didn’t you eat anything but 
the wild thyme ? ” 

“ Yes — some splendid 
parsley. I never saw any so 
fine. It tasted so very good!” 

“ Some splendid parsley ! 
Lapino, did you see it ? Are 
you sure it was parsley ? ” 

“ I don’t think it was. 


TROTTING CONFESSES. 


mamma. I told T rottino that 
it was too large for parsley ; 
and it seems to me the smell 
was not just the same, either” 

“ Unhappy child ! You have 
mistaken hemlock for parsley, 
and it is poison ! Lapino, run 
to the doctor and tell him that 
your little brother has poisoned 
himself. I will do the best I 
can for him while you are 
gone. But hasten, dear child, 
there is not a moment to be 
lost.” 

Trottino sank down in one 


corner quite senseless. Now 
and then he moaned, and 
moved a foot or an ear. 
Otherwise he seemed to be 
dead. 

His poor mother stood over 
him, smoothing his head and 
rubbing his little paws, now 
one and now another, and 
longing for the doctor to 
come. 

Once Trottino aroused suf- 
ficently to say again : “ O, 

what a pain I have. Mamma, 
do help me ! Do ! ” 



THE DOCTOR’S VISIT. 


Lapino ran as fast as he 
could and soon came to the 
house of the rabbit-doctor, who 
was just finishing his dinner. 

The doctor wanted to give 
some of his dessert to Lapino, 
whom he knew to be a good 
little rabbit — very polite and 
well-bred ; but when he was 
told that T rottino had poisoned 
himself, he quickly caught up 



his hat and cane, and started 
out with Lapino, taking care 
to carry some medicine with 
him, so that they should not 


have to lose time in ffoing- to 
the druggist’s. 

They found Trottino a lit- 
tle better. His mother had 
put him to bed and given him 
a hot drink, then rubbed him 
well and covered him up 
warmly. But he was quite 
weak and ached all over, and 
he felt very sick indeed. 

He held out his little paw 
to the doctor, who felt his 
pulse and said that he must 
swallow some medicine at 
once. Trottino drank a 
mouthful, but then pushed the 
cup away with disgust, saying, 
“It is nasty ! ” 

“What! ‘It is nasty ! ’ ” 
mimicked the doctor, in his 
gruffest tones. “You deserve 
to have it ten times as nasty, 
naughty, greedy child ! You 


THE DOCTOR’S VISIT. 


must drink it right down. 
The sickness and the medi- 
cine are your punishment for 
being disobedient. Come ! 
hurry up ! you must drink 
it to get cured. And,” he 
added, in a softer tone, “ you 



must drink it to please your 
poor mamma, to whom you 
have brought so much trouble. 
See ! she is crying.” 


That decided Trottino. He 
took the cup and drained it to 



the bottom, without making a 
face. 

When he had finished he 
threw his two paws around his 
mother’s neck, and said to her, 
weeping — 

“ F orgive me, mamma ; I 
will never do so any more! ” 


TROTTING WELL AGAIN. 


Trottino got well; and, 
what is better still, he was also 
cured of his disobedience and 
his greediness. 

Mother Rabbit had often 
said to him, “ Don’t eat this.” 
“ Don’t eat that.” “It will 
make you sick!” but he had 
never really believed it. Now 
he knew that what she had 
told him was true, and he 
obeyed much more quickly 
and cheerfully than he had 
done before. 

After his experience with 


the hemlock new ideas arose 
in Trottino’s little rabbit-brain. 

“ There are, then,” he 
thought, “ some plants which 
are good to eat, and others 
which are dangerous, which 
make little rabbits sick and 
even make them die sometimes. 

“ How ought one to set 
about learning about these 
things ? By tasting each plant 
a little and so finding out 
which are good and which not ? 
But in this way one would be 
made sick each time he tasted 


TROTTING WELL AGAIN. 


of a poisonous plant. That 
would be terrible, that would ! ” 

Trottino consulted his 
brother. Trottino often con- 
sulted Lapino. 

Lapino did not know much 
more than Trottino, and he 
advised his brother not to 
trouble his head about such 
things. 

But Trottino was eager to 
learn, so he questioned his 
mamma, who told him that 
her own mother had taught 


her all she knew about plants. 

“ And Grandmamma ” — 
asked Trottino, “who showed 
her which were the good 
plants ? ” 

“ H er mother, my child. 
As long as there have been 
plants and rabbits, the rabbit- 
mothers have instructed their 
children ; then when these 
children were grown up and 
had little rabbits of their own, 
they in turn taught what they 
had learned.” 



TROTTING LEARNS MUCH FROM 
HIS MOTHER. 


“ And you will teach me 
all you know, mamma ? ” 

“ Certainly, my little one.” 
Trottino was delighted, and 
capered about with joy. Then 



he began to help his mother 
about the house so that they 
could all go to walk sooner, 
and he worked just as well as 
Lapino. 

When all was in order, they 
set out for a pleasant walk. 
As soon as they had reached 
the meadow, Trottino began 
to search out different plants 
and to ask questions. 


“ What is the name of this 
plant, mamma ? What is the 
name of that ? Is this good 
to eat ? Do you think that 
one is poisonous ? ” 

Mother Rabbit replied to 
him very patiently and told 
him interesting things about 
many of the plants which they 
saw; but Trottino was a little 
surprised to hear her some- 
times answer, “ I do not know.” 
T rottino had thought that 
his mother knew everything. 
H owever, as he paid great 
attention to what she did tell 
him, he soon knew a great 
deal, for she was a well-in- 
structed rabbit who had lived 
in different places where there 
were all sorts of plants. 

T rottino had sharp eyes and 


TROTTING LEARNS MUCH FROM HIS MOTHER. 


a fine sense of smell. He 
spied the good plants long 
before his mother and brother, 
and it was his delight to call 
them to share in what he 
found. 

Indeed, it was now to be 
seen that Trottino was very 
intelligent. In a fortnight he 


had become more learned than 
his mother. 

Human children have to 
spend a great deal more time 
than that in order to know as 
much as their mothers ; but 
then, men and women need to 
learn so many more things 
than rabbits do. 




MR. GRISONNET. 


Mr. Grisonnet was a wise 
rabbit. He was not handsome, 
with his gray and somewhat 
rough rabbit-wool, but he had 
a kind face and friendly ways. 
He was on very good terms 
with Lapino and T rottino, and 
always stopped to chat with 
them and their mother when 
he met the family in the fields. 

One day as he was leaping 
leisurely along a hedge with 
his thoughts upon a rare plant 
which he had just been exam- 
ining, he heard a voice calling 
to him, “ H ey ! M r. Grisonnet ! ” 


Turning about he saw 
Mother Rabbit at a little dis- 
tance, with Lapino and Trot- 
tino at her side. 

“ Can you point out to us 
a place where there is some 
nice tender thyme ? ” said she 
to him. “ What we find here 
is too old.” 

“ Y es, come with me, neigh- 
bor ; I will lead you to an ex- 
cellent place,” replied the old 
rabbit. 

So off they all started to- 
gether, Mr. Grisonnet and 
Mother Rabbit leaping gently 



MR. GRISONNET. 


along at a steady pace across 
the field, and the little ones 
frisking around them. Some- 
times Lapino and Trottino 
would play a game of leapfrog 



and get far ahead ; then off 
they would go, chasing each 
other, sidewise and back and 
all around ; and if you had 
tr’ed to count them, you would 
have rid, “ There are two 
large rabbits, but I don’t know 
how many little ones ! ” 

At last Mr. Grisonnet 
stopped before a beautiful 
bank where thyme and other 
herbs were thickly growing. 
“ Ah ! what a feast,” said 


Mother Rabbit. “ Let us all 
enjoy it.” 

So each one began to nib- 
ble, taking care to thank their 
kind old friend for the treat 
he had given them. After a 
while, Mr. Grisonnet stopped, 
with a grave air, to gaze at a 
little plant. T rottino, who was 
very curious, asked him what 
he was looking at. 

“ It is a lesser centaury,” 
replied Mr. Grisonnet. “I’ve 
never seen it about here be- 
fore.” 

“ A lesser centaury ! What 
a funny name ! ” said Trottino. 
“ Is it good to eat ? ” 

“ No, it has not a good 
taste ; but it cures fever.” 
T rottino opened his eyes wide. 

What! A plant which cured 
fever I — Could that really be 
true ? 



TROTTING STUDIES WITH MR. 
GRISONNET. 


“After all,” thought Trot- 
tino, as he walked along with 
Mr. Grisonnet, “why should 
there not be plants which can 
cure as well as plants which 
can make you ill ?” There 
were dangerous plants, like the 
hemlock — Trottino knew that, 
very well; and if there were 
others which could cure, he 
would be glad to know about 
them. So he determined to 


learn all he could about plants, 
especially those which were use- 
ful as medicine. who 

could teach him better than 
his wise old friend, Mr. Gri- 
sonnet ? 

So T rottino kept close beside 
Mr. Grisonnet, and did not 
fail to notice everything that 
the older rabbit noticed. 

Trottino would ask: “What 
is the name of this plant, Mr. 


TROTTING STUDIES WITH MR. GRISONNET. 


Grisonnet ? What is it good 
for? Is it poisonous ? Does 
it cure fever ? ” 

Mr. Grisonnet was as good 
as he was wise. He answered 
Trottino’s questions so care- 
fully, and told him so much 
besides, that at the end of the 
walk Trottino had learned the 
names and properties of a 
dozen plants. In later walks 
he learned much more. 

Rabbits grow more quickly 
than children. At the end 
of some weeks Lapino and 
Trottino were trusted to go 
about by themselves. 

Good Mother Rabbit was 
o-etting- older now, and became 
easily fatigued. She liked to 
stay at home, seated in her 
easy chair and comfortably 
knitting or sewing, while La- 
pino and Trottino went to run 
and play in the fields. 

Often they met companions 


there and made happy parties. 
But Trottino, although he 
liked very much to frolic, 
always left his younger friends 
if he saw Mr. Grisonnet pass 
slowly by, examining plants. 

In three leaps he would be 



with him, and Mr. Grisonnet 
was delighted to have him as 
companion. Mr. Grisonnet 
loved to teach and Trottino 
to be taught, so it is no won- 
der that the little rabbit learned 
quickly. Mr. Grisonnet was 
continually surprised at Trot- 
tino’s progress. 



TROTTING USES 

One day Lapino and Trot- 
tino were returning home after 
a long walk. They were al- 
ways careful to get back at 
the hour their mother expected 
them, so that she should not 
be anxious, and they generally 
found her sitting in the door- 
way watching for them. This 
time, however, there was no 
Mother Rabbit in sight ; and 
as they drew nearer they heard 
cries which came from the back 
of the house. Seized with 
fear, they ran forward ; and 
entering their home, found 


HIS KNOWLEDGE. 

Mother Rabbit lying on the 
bed moaning with pain. 

When she saw Lapino and 
Trottino she tried to rise, 
saying, 

“Ah ! my dear little ones, 
here you are at last. I feared 
I should not see you again.” 

The two little ones began 
to cry and then they asked 
what had happened. They 
saw blood on several parts of 
her body. The poor rabbit 
told them that a wicked dog 
had bitten her. How she ever 
got away from him she could 


TROTTING USES HIS KNOWLEDGE. 


not tell. She had been so 
frightened! 

Lapino was in great grief. 
He loved his mother with all 
his little rabbit heart. He 
threw his paws around her 
neck, begging her not to die 
and leave them ; and then he 
began to lick her wounds so 
as to ease her pain a little. 

But where has T rottino 
gone ? Does he not love his 
mother ? Will he not try to 
help her, too ? 

Trottino had indeed gone 
out and left his mother, but it 
was with a wise and loving 
purpose. He now came toil- 
ing in, carrying a great bundle 
of herbs which he had gath- 
ered. 

“ Have no fear, mother,” 
said he ; “ you shall not die. 
I have something to cure you 
with. Lapino, wash the parts 
which bleed, quickly. Oh ! 


you have already licked them ? 
That is good. Then break 
that herb up fine.” And 
Trottino, taking some of the 
same herb, mashed it up and 
made it into a plaster. This 
he placed upon the wounds. 
O, joy! The dear Mother 



sleep. 

When she awoke, she was 
better ; and in a few days the 
tender care of her children 
cured her. When the neigh- 
bors came to inquire after their 
wounded friend Lapino loved 


TROTTING USES HIS KNOWLEDGE. 


to tell them that it was Trot- 
tino — little Trottino — who 
had known what to do for his 
mother, and had brought the 
healing plants. 

“H ow did the idea come to 
you, ’ asked an old rabbit one 
day curiously, “ to learn about 
plants which are not good to 
eat ? ” 

“ It is because I once poi- 
soned myself with hemlock,” 
replied Trottino. “That made 
me notice plants ; so I was 


glad to learn about them, and 
dear, good Mr. Grisonnet was 
willing to teach me.” 

“ But it is very plain that he 
has profited by other lessons 
as well as mine,” said Mr. 
Grisonnet, coming up at that 
moment. “For instead of the 
once disobedient, greedy and 
thoughtless Trottino, we have 
here a good and wise little 
rabbit, who is a joy to his fam- 
ily and a credit to the rabbit 
race.” 

From the French of Madam Colomb. 


PUSSY WHITE’S ANSWER. 


Tell me truly. Pussy White, 
Whither did you go last night? 
“ I went round the Miller’s 
house. 

But I found no rat or mouse. 


All I found was — listen now! — 
A little, little, 

small, small, 

tiny, tiny, 

‘ Bow- wow- wow ! ’ ” 


JUDGING BY APPEARANCES. 


An old Jack-o’-lantern lay on 
the ground ; 

He looked at the Moon-man, 
yellow and round. 

The old Jack-o’-lantern gazed 
and he gazed, 

And still as he looked he grew 
more amazed. 

Then said Jack-o’-lantern, 
“ How can it be 

That fellow up there looks so 
much like me ? 

“ I s’pose he must be a brother 
of mine. 

And somebody cut him, too, 
from the vine. 


“He looks very grand up 
there in the sky ; 

But I know just how ’twill be, 
by and by. 



“ He’s proud of his shining, I 
have no doubt. 

But just wait until his candle 
goes out ! ” 



The Pisreon and the Owl 


There once was a Pigeon, as 
I have heard say, 

Who wished to be wise; 

She thought to herself : “ I 

will go to the Owl, 

Perhaps he’ll advise ; 

And if all he tells me I care- 
fully do 

I’ll surely get wisdom.” Away 
then she flew. 

When little Miss Pigeon ar- 
rived at the barn 

She found the Owl there. 



Most humbly she cooed out 
her wish ; but the Owl 
Did nothing but stare. 

“Well, well!” thought Miss 
Pigeon, “ of course I can 
wait ; 

I won’t interrupt him ; his wis- 
dom is great.” 

She waited and waited. At 
last the Owl blinked. 

And deigned a remark: 


THE PIGEON AND THE OWL. 


“You’ll never be wise, foolish 
Pigeon, unless 

You stay in the dark. 
And stretch your small eyes, 
and fly but in the night. 
And cry ‘ Hoo-hoo-hoo ! ’ with 
all of your might.” 

So little Miss Pigeon to prac- 
tise began ; 

But all she could do 
Her eyes would not stretch, 
and her voice would not 
change 

Its soft, gentle coo ; 


And she caught a sad cold from 
the night’s damp and chill. 

And, lacking sunshine besides, 
she fell ill. 

Then little Miss Pigeon gave 
up being wise : 

“For, plainly,” said she, 

“Though owls are the wisest 
of birds, theirs is not 
The wisdom for me ; 

So I’ll be the very best Pigeon 
I can.” 

And what do you think ? She 
grew wise on that plan ! 




A little maiden once there was 

Who heard her mother say 

Upon a bright November 
morn : 

“ This is Thanksgiving Day.” 

In little Minna’s grateful heart 

There dawned a purpose new; 

“ Then if this is Thanksgiving 
Day 

I know what I will do. ” 

She wrapped her in a cloak so 
warm 

And tied her little hood, 

And to the barn did Minna 
run 

As quickly as she could. 


And straight she went to 
where the cows 
Stood each within its stall; 
And said, and stroked their 
sides the while : 

“ I ’ve come to thank you all. 


“ I know you give us every day 

The fresh sweet milk we 
drink; 

And cream and butter too, and 
cheese ; 

You’re very good, I think.” 

Then Minna crossed the barn, 
to speak 

To Dick, the good old 
horse : 


MINNA’S THANKSGIVING. 


“ O, Dick ! when I am giving 
thanks 

I’ll thank you, too, of course. 

“No matter what the time of 
year. 

You work and work all day ; 

In Spring you drag the heavy 
plough. 

In Summer loads of hay. 

“You take the bags of grain 
to mill, 

Y ou bring the flour back ; 

And from the forest cart the 
wood. 

However rough the track. 

“ For all these things, you dear 
old Dick, 

I’ve come my thanks to 
pay ; 

I thought of it when mother 
said 

‘ This is Thanksgiving Day.’ ” 


Then down the dim and dusty 
barn 

Did Minna trip along 

T o where the sheep were hud- 
dled close, 

A gentle, woolly throng 

She patted them with loving 
hand. 

The sheep stooa unafraid ; 

“ Thank you for all my nice 
warm clothes,” 

Then said the little maid. 

With smiling face, and having 
still 

Her grateful thoughts in 
mind. 

Next to the farmyard Minna 
went 

H er feathered friends to find. 

With cluck and cackle, all the 
hens 

Soon gathered at her feet; 


MINNA’S THANKSGIVING. 



Said Minna : “ Thank you for 
the eggs 

You’ve given me to eat.” 

Then little Minna ran again 
Across the sparkling snow, 
And soon was at her mother’s 
side 

With face and heart aglow. 


“ I’ve been and thanked them, 
mother dear. 

As nicely as I could; 

— The cows, the sheep, the 
hens and Dick — 

I think they understood. 

“ For they all listened quietly 
To everything I said. 


THE LOW-MINDED CAT AND THE HIGH-MINDED BUTTERFLY. 


And Dick ! I wish you could 
have seen 

The way he bowed his head. 

‘T’m very glad I went because 
I had so much to say, 


And they might all have 
thought it strange, 

If I had stayed away 
And had not given thanks to 
them 

Upon Thanksgiving Day ! ” 


THE LOW-MINDED CAT AND THE HIGH- 
MINDED BUTTERFLY. 

The cat sat up on a shed roof high 
And watched a butterfly sailing by ; 

Puss licked her chops with a dainty air : 

Wish I could taste of that small thing there ! ” 

The butterfly spoke: “ Was there ever heard 
A notion so strange and extremely absurd ? 

To you, things are nothing if not to eat. 

The delicate fragrance of flowers sweet. 

The flashing beauty of sunbeams bright. 

Are out of a cat’s comprehension quite ! ” 

From the Danish, 



THE MEADOW PRINCESS. 

{After the German^ 


And it was in the meadowland 

So fresh and fair and green, 

There lived the prettiest Prin- 
cess 

The world has ever seen. 

And it was in the meadowland 

Her tiny castle stood ; 

’Twas hid among the grasses 
tall 

As though ’twere in a wood. 

And while upon the meadow- 
land 

The shining dewdrops lay, 

The Princess, waking, said 
with joy, 

“I’ll walk abroad to-day.” 


So in the blooming meadowland 
All flower-gay, and green. 
Full soon the little Princess 
tripped 

The dewy grass between. 

Then something — yes ! a dew- 
drop ! — said 
In accents silver-clear, 

“ O ! I will be thy crystal bowl. 
Thou little Princess dear ! ” 

So was it in the meadowland. 
That in the happy dew 
The Princess bathed her beau- 
teous face. 

And yet more beauteous 


grew. 


THE MEADOW PRINCESS. 



Then something — yes! a little spring! — 
Said, “ O ! thou Princess dear, 

I’ve smoothed my waters all for thee — 
Behold thy mirror clear ! ” 

So was it in the meadowland. 

All down among the grass. 

The Princess found the little spring 
Her willing looking-glass — 

Then further down the meadowland 
The Princess tripped along ; 

And peering sunbeams found their way 
The tall green grass among. 

Then something — yes ! a little leaf ! — 
Said, “ O ! thou Princess sweet. 

Thy sunshade gladly will I be 
To shield thee from the heat.” 

So was it in the meadowland 
The little royal maid 

Did pluck the leaf and hold it up. 

All grateful for its shade. 


And further still in meadowland 
Till weary grew her feet ; 


THE MEADOW PRINCESS. 


And something — yes ! a butterfly ! — 
Said, “ O ! thou Princess sweet, 


“A little Princess such as thou 
Should’st never weary be. 

I’ll be thy coach and gentle steed ; 

Let me but carry thee.” 

Then gayly through the meadowland 
So fresh and fair and green. 

The little Princess rode afar, 

H is silken wings between. 

They swung and fluttered here and there. 
Till at the castle door 
(The tiny castle ’mid the grass) 

The Princess stood once more. 

Then something — yes ! it was a bee ! — 
With gentle humming, said. 

Dear little Princess, thou shouldst eat ; 
Thy table I will spread.” 

Then was there in the meadowland 
A honey breakfast soon. 

(The beetle lent his golden wing 
^ To serve her for a spoon.) 



A WISE FELLOW. 


And then the birds of mea- 
dowland 

Made there a dainty nest; 
And when the Princess laid 
her down 

They sang her into rest. 


So was it in the meadow- 
land 

The blissful, livelong day ; 
And in the evening — yes ! it 
was 

Still finer ! so they say. 


A WISE FELLOW. 




Buttercup yellow, 

You’re a gay fellow! 
Does she like butter? You 
must now show. 

Don’t make a blunder ! 
I’ll hold you under — 
Right underneath her chin. 
There you are — so! 

Yes, it is yellow ! 

O, you wise fellow ! 

She does like butter — but how 
did yott know ? 


DOES 


BUTTER ? 



'THE . BIRDS’ CHRISTMAS SHEAF 

(// Norwegian Legend.) 


A little bird was piping gay 

All in the Yuletide frost and snow : 
“ Oh ! listen, listen, pretty mate. 

Some glorious Christmas news I 
know. 


“ The cottager beyond the 
wood 

H as raised a sheaf beside 
his door ; 

Again we little birds may 
feast 

Upon his bounty as 
before. 


“ Three sheaves are all the 
good man owns. 

Yet one he gives us in our 
need ; 

He shares with us for Jesus’ 
sake. 

It is a blessed Christmas 
deed.” 


THE BIRDS’ CHRISTMAS SHEAF. 


Then trilled the joyous bird 
and mate 

In sweet accord a gladsome 
song ; 

And to the hut beyond the 
wood 

They flew on pinions swift 
and strong. 

To all their friends they gaily 
called, 

“ Oh come with us a feast 
to share ! ” 

And quickly gathering at the 
news 

A whirring throng sped 
through the air. 

A hungry cat glared with de- 
sire, 

But on they flew, nor felt 
alarm ; 

A fierce old crow they safely 
passed — 

On Christmas Eve no foe 
might harm. 


And soon they reached the 
peasant’s hut ; 

A tall pole close beside it 
stood 

And held aloft a sheaf of wheat 

For hungry birdlings’ winter 
food. 

Oh ! merry was the Christmas 
feast. 

And sweet, oh sweet the 
golden grain ; 



The whole long night was 
none too long: 

The birdies ate and ate 
again. 

But when the chiming bells 
sent forth 

Their silver music through 
the air 


THE BIRDS’ CHRISTMAS SHEAF. 


To call the people to the 
church 

That Christmas morn for 
praise and prayer, 

The birds, too, thither went; 
and soon. 

Perched on the weather-vane 
so high. 



They saw and heard an angel 
choir 

Whose heavenly glory filled 
the sky. 


And one among that radiant 
throng. 

The brightest in the shining 
ranks. 

Sang ever with melodious 
voice: 

''Give thanks, ye grateful 
hearts, give thanks ! ” 

The two birds listened, sor- 
rowing : 

For they that night, by 
bounty fed. 

Had feasted; then, with thanks 
forgot. 

All heedlessly away had 
sped. 

So back they flew to sing their 
thanks 

To him who gave the Christ- 
mas sheaf. 

But in the little snow-piled hut 

The peasant sat in bitter 
grief. 


THE BIRDS’ CHRISTMAS SHEAF. 


“ Alas ! ” he said, “ what woe 
is mine ! 

No longer may I tarry here. 



The New Year brings my 
dreaded fate ; 

Then I must leave my home 
so dear.” 

No Christmas joy could light 
his gloom ; 

Misfortune had beset him 
sore. 

Soon, homeless, must he wan- 
der forth 


And beg his bread from 
door to door. 

I The birds thought this a griev- 
ous thing 

And prayed to God it might 
not be : 

“ O, God! make thou the 
poor man glad ; 

H gave us one sheaf out 
of three ! ” 

Then up into the Christmas 
sheaf 

The small birds flew to rest 
again ; 

But soon a joyous song rang out 

From where they nestled in 
the grain. 

“ Rejoice, kind friend of little 
birds ! ” 

They sang. “ Rejoice, this 
holy night ; 


THE BIRDS’ CHRISTMAS SHEAF. 


For lo ! in every kernel’s place 
There hangs a golden ducat 
bright !” 

A thousand shining ducats ! — 
Yes, 


A thousand ! glittered in the 
sheaf. 

The peasant knew his trouble 
past ; 

The gold had brought him 
sure relief. 


Thou did’st befriend us!” cried the birds, 

“ And God befriends thee ! God is good.” 
— In glad amaze this carolling 

The peasant heard and understood. 


H is heart leaped up in grateful thanks. 
The birds trilled forth a rapturous lay, 
And thus did joy and gladness reign 
Upon that blessed Christmas Day. 






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